Page 21 of I’d Be Honored

Something was definitely wrong with her, she decided. Hayley pushed away from the wall and brushed the dust off her clothes. She shrugged on her crisp suit jacket and reapplied a fresh coat of red lipstick. Then she strode back toward the black-and-white tiled lobby of her father’s new building, refocusing on her mission at hand.

A FEW DAYS LATER, HAYLEY STOOD in the middle of her kitchen, mentally preparing herself for her afternoon appointment. She had promised Gemma she would meet up with her to shop for maid-of-honor outfits, which meant Maddie would be there with Caitlin as well.

Her stomach started to feel uneasy again. It was strange considering the flu had only ever lasted a day or two before. She had gone to sleep feeling so much better and thought it had passed. She tucked a can of ginger ale into her bag, just in case.

It was the end of June, and New York’s heat had reached an all-time high. Hayley may have skipped the office that day, but not the effort. She took her time getting dressed that morning, pairing a white ribbed tank with relaxed striped Tom Ford pants. She slid on her dark square sunglasses and stepped into open-toed heels, determined to put on a good show of civility.

When Hayley arrived at the address Gemma had sent, she flipped her sunglasses up into her perfectly straight hair and pushed the door open, a soft chime greeting her.

At the sound, Gemma turned toward the door and dramatically looked Hayley up and down. “Damn, my best friend is hot,” she announced by way of greeting.

Hayley shot Gemma her best Who, me? smile before kissing her once on the cheek.

“I’ve just been out and about, running errands, working.” She offered a nonchalant wave, her Birkin dangling from her arm.

“Sure, you were. I know this outfit.” Gemma leaned closer to whisper, “Who are we baiting?”

Before Hayley could protest, Maddie stepped out of the nearest fitting room in a long champagne-colored gown. Hayley watched, transfixed, as Maddie twirled for Caitlin, a wide smile blooming across her face. The dress’s open back and plunging neckline had specifically snagged Hayley’s attention, and when the spin finally stopped, Maddie’s eyes locked onto her own.

Hayley stood perfectly still as Maddie took her in, her gaze dipping lower as she slowly dragged her teeth along her bottom lip.

Gemma cleared her throat, startling Hayley. She looked back toward her friend, whose expression was pinched in clear, tight-lipped disapproval.

“Hey Caitlin.” Hayley recovered quickly, keeping her distance as she greeted the two women. “Madison.”

“Hey,” Maddie managed, her throat working as she swallowed hard.

“O-kay,” Gemma interjected, drawing out both syllables. “Hay, we want you both to be comfortable, and we really don’t care about the color. But we do want you two to match.”

“Maddie already has a few dresses to try on,” Caitlin added, “so why don’t you go pick some out for yourself, and then you both can try them on together, yeah?”

Hayley agreed and drifted toward the nearest display, flipping through options.

Gemma tugged on her arm, pulling her deeper into the store and out of earshot from the others. “Anything you care to share?”

Hayley glanced around. “Oh, that question was for me?”

“Seriously,” Gemma hissed, “are you sleeping with her? Or trying to? We literally just talked about this, Hay.”

Hayley pivoted and began sorting through the rack beside her. “How much champagne have you had? I clearly have some catching up to do.”

Gemma stifled a laugh, turning it into a sharp scoff. “Hayley Maddox, I know you. Listen to me. You cannot sleep with Maddie.”

“Do you think I could wear a suit?” Hayley asked, pushing aside a few hangers as she moved on to the next section.

“Yes, obviously, but don’t change the subject.” Gemma followed close behind, fighting to keep her voice to a whisper. “We have over three months of wedding prep left, and I need you two to still be speaking by the end of it. Maddie’s looking for her soulmate, Hay, and we both know you break out in hives at the mere mention of a relationship. So, for everyone’s sake, please do not make her your next conquest. We already know how that ends.”

Hayley didn’t appreciate the lack of confidence in her best friend’s voice, but she understood where Gemma was coming from. She was right, after all. Hayley had absolutely no intention of ever becoming anybody’s soulmate, especially not Maddie’s.

Sure, maybe she’d imagined peeling off those pink biker shorts and sports bra to see what was underneath, but Hayley wasn’t feral. She could control herself, couldn’t she?

Turning back to the racks, Gemma and Hayley quickly sifted through the options until they had successfully gathered a few pieces for Hayley to try on. Hayley managed to avoid any more interrogation, but she knew Gemma would be watching her closely.

Hayley slipped into the first pick, a champagne-colored suit that matched Maddie’s dress, while the others chatted in the waiting lounge.

When Hayley walked out of the dressing room, all three women fell silent, their eyes wide.

“Hay, you look amazing,” Gemma cheered before letting out a playful catcall.